AUS Vs SA: Glenn Maxwell Ready For Surprises At The Newly Relaid Lucknow Pitch

Australia’s cricket team is gearing up to face South Africa on a newly relaid pitch in Lucknow, and they are ready to adapt to whatever conditions come their way. Despite facing difficulties against India’s spinners on a challenging Chennai pitch, Glenn Maxwell expressed confidence in their adaptability.

The Ekana International Cricket Stadium’s pitches were entirely dug up after the 2023 IPL, following the curator’s removal in the aftermath of a low-scoring T20I between India and New Zealand in January. This means that previous assumptions about the ground may not hold for the ICC Cricket World Cup 2023, although spin is still expected to play a significant role.

Maxwell commented on the situation, saying, “It’s a bit of an unknown here, think they’ve ripped up the whole ground and started again after the IPL,” Maxwell said. “India also had a T20 here where they struggled to chase down, I think, 99 against the Kiwis earlier in the year. With that in mind, I think it will be a fresh start for the whole ground, turn up on the day and see how it looks.”

“We are prepared for whatever conditions come our way over the next few games. Suppose we are lucky to be in Lucknow for two games in a row, [so we] can have a look at these conditions.”

Glenn Maxwell Considered The Chennai Pitch “Anomaly” Due To Inconsistent Spin

Glenn Maxwell considered the Chennai pitch they encountered against India as an “anomaly” due to inconsistent spin and deliveries that would slide on unpredictably. He acknowledged the tough conditions but emphasized their readiness for any challenge, mentioning the difficulties posed by dew in the second innings.

He stated, “You know when you come to India, you will be faced with a whole heap of different conditions, whether it be flat wickets that don’t bounce or dry wickets that turn quite a bit. We feel like we’ve been testing ourselves a fair bit in training, and feel ready to face whatever challenge; we just came up against a very good bowling line-up the other day. Felt like we created enough chances with the ball.”

Glenn Maxwell, who played as a spinner, was used ahead of Adam Zampa in the game against India and proved to be the more economical of Australia’s two spinners. He discussed his strategy, stating, “Think with four fielders out and bowling to a lot of right-handers, I’m able to control the scoreboard a little easier.”

Regarding his previous leg injury and managing the workload as a frontline spinner, Maxwell mentioned that he didn’t hold back during the World Cup game and felt relieved to perform without any issues.

Looking ahead, Marcus Stoinis, who has been recovering from a hamstring injury, could be considered for the upcoming match against South Africa. However, fitting him into the side might be a challenge, possibly replacing Cameron Green or one of the frontline fast bowlers. Maxwell praised Stoinis, describing him as a vital energy and match-winner for the team, emphasizing his significance in tournament situations.